LOS ANGELES - UCLA didn't waste any time in pushing last week's ugly 29-point loss at Washington out of its memory. If only for a half.

The Bruins opened up a 12-point lead in the first half against Oregon State on Thursday night, but they did not coast to a victory. Instead, they had to overcome two second-half rallies by the Beavers before winning, 65-56, at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA (13-14, 8-7 Pac-10) did so without Reeves Nelson or Brendan Lane in the lineup. Nelson had a laser procedure to repair a torn retina this past Monday, and Lane, one of a handful of players expected to replace Nelson, sprained an ankle Wednesday at practice.

"That was a very important and a good win," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "With all the adversity of having all the injuries right now, I really thought our team showed a lot of mental fortitude."

The Bruins nearly lost Nikola Dragovic when he injured his left shoulder during a scramble for a loose ball in the first half. He returned a few minutes later and ended up scoring 14 points (all in the second half).

Related Links

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.